Pathankot attack: NIA to file status of red corner notice on January 9

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) will file a status report in the court of additional district and sessions judge Tarsem Mangla here on January 9 with regard to the red corner notice issued against Jaish-e-Mohammad commanders in connection with the Pathankot airbase attack.

NIA team at district courts in SAS Nagar on Monday.(Karun Sharma/HT Photo)

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) will file a status report in the court of additional district and sessions judge Tarsem Mangla here on January 9 with regard to the red corner notice issued against Jaish-e-Mohammad commanders in connection with the Pathankot airbase attack.

The directions were issued on Monday to the NIA after it filed the chargesheet against four accused — Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) chief Maulana Masood Azhar, his brother Shahid Latif ; terrorists’ handlers Mufti Abdul Rauf Asghar and Kashif Jan.

“The chargesheet has been filed against four Pakistani nationals. The public prosecutor will apprise the court on January 9 of the status of red corner notice issued through the Interpol,” said the court in its order.

Earlier, the NIA had informed the court that red corner notice against Kashif Jan, the main handler of the terrorists, was in process.

The agency in May this year after obtaining an ‘open-ended non-bailable warrant’ of three accused from the NIA court had forwarded a dossier to the CBI, which is the nodal agency dealing with the Interpol.

DNA and mobile phone calls helped establish Pak connection

The DNA profile of the genetic material lifted from the Red Bull energy drink can, recovered from the Mahindra XUV vehicle, matched with that of one of the terrorists. The DNA profile of the genetic material lifted from the dagger recovered from the possession of another terrorist matched with that of the Rajesh Verma and Ikagar Singh. The DNA lifted from the handle of the dagger matched with that of another terrorist.

NIA moves application for secrecy of documents

The NIA also moved an application apprising the court that some documents with the chargesheet are ‘sensitive/classified’, seeking ‘privilege’ of secrecy. The court will take up the application on January 9. The court has directed the officials concerned to keep the challan as well as other documents in sealed cover.

Case property

Since the court doesn’t have a malkhana, five trunk-full case property, including weapons , ammunition, DNA profiling, will be kept at Phase 8 police station. The NIA has submitted list of 15 articles on the slain terrorists. The case property include four AK-47 rifles, three pistols, 29 magazines, ammunition, wire cutter, plyer, daggar, grenades, besides energy drink (one can), first aid box, four painkiller injections .